Science, over recent years, has confirmed what chocolate lovers have always known: the stuff is actually good for you. It’s the Valentine’s Day drug of choice, has more antioxidants than red wine, and triggers the same brain responses as falling in love. Nothing, in the end, can stand up to chocolate as a basic fundament to human life.

In this scintillating narrative, acclaimed foodie Mort Rosenblum delves into the complex world of chocolate. From the mole poblano–chile-laced chicken with chocolate–of ancient Mexico to the contemporary French chocolatiers who produce the palets d’or–bite-sized, gold-flecked bricks of dark chocolate–to the vast empires of Hershey, Godiva, and Valrhona, Rosenblum follows the chocolate trail the world over. He visits cacao plantations, meets with growers, buyers, makers, and tasters, and investigates the dark side of the chocolate trade as well as the enduring appeal of its product.

Engaging, entertaining, and revealing, Chocolate: A Bittersweet Saga of Dark and Light is a fascinating foray into this “food of the gods.”